1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a prediction based temperature control mechanism. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a weather forecast and prediction based temperature control mechanism for water heaters.
2. Background Art
Control mechanisms for space heating and cooling devices based on weather forecast data have been previously attempted in the space heating arena, such as those disclosed in the following disclosures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,893 to Berglund et al. (hereinafter Berglund) discloses a weather forecast unit capable of sending weather forecast data over the Internet to a building management provider which handles building management services for a number of clients, each having a number of buildings and properties. At the provider's reception station, data on the external-building characteristics of all the buildings are compiled with the received data and then fed to the appropriate building management controls system. Berglund discloses a means to combine weather forecast data with a group of external-building characteristics relating to at least one building to derive instructions signals for comfort controls operation of the at least one building. Berglund does not disclose comfort controls related to water heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,944 to Nakamura et al. (hereinafter Nakamura) discloses a control system for air conditioning and/or hot water supplying apparatus using a central heat source that supplies cooling or heating to a plurality of dwelling units of a congregated or multi-storied house. The system calculates the optimum operating condition of the air conditioning and/or hot water supplying apparatus in each of the dwelling units using the operating state information of the central heat source, the weather information forecasted on the basis of the outdoor weather information, the indoor atmosphere information, and the operating state of the air conditioning and/or hot water supplying apparatus in the dwelling units, and the optimum condition is displayed on an output terminal device in each of the dwelling units. Nakamura discloses a central heat source without specifying in detail how this central heat source affects the control of a hot water supplying apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,543,244 to Keeling et al. (hereinafter Keeling) discloses a controller that integrates the control of heating or cooling in buildings by simultaneously controlling heating, ventilation and cooling systems in concert with separate fresh air ventilation systems by reacting to outside and inside conditions, wherein the controller additionally utilizes a local weather forecasting data retrieval system provided over an internet connection wherein the controller uses weather forecasting data from the local weather forecasting data retrieval system to optimize algorithms for improved setpoints for fresh air ventilation or heating, ventilation and air conditioning control. Keeling does not disclose controls of devices related to water heating.
The Applicants discovered a correlation between the outdoor weather and the domestic water temperature as it is related to the comfort experienced by a user. None of these and other weather forecast based control systems are adapted to control water heaters. Thus, there is a need for a water, e.g., domestic water, heating system capable of controlling the operation of the water heating system, e.g., by adjusting its setpoint temperature based on current and forecasted outdoor temperature and capable of adjusting its setpoint temperature automatically and in anticipation of upcoming weather events.